


can't hurry love

by DJ Jiggle Juice (babytobin_horse)



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-04 23:16:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4156680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babytobin_horse/pseuds/DJ%20Jiggle%20Juice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every time they win, Chloe celebrates with Beca. Too bad they don't talk about it, ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	can't hurry love

**Author's Note:**

> It's 12:55 AM and I catch a flight home at 7:45 AM, but I've been working on this for a few days so I had to finish it and post it immediately. I've been quite the wreck since watching Pitch Perfect 2 multiple times within the past few weeks (and also rewatched the first movie) so I just have a lot of BeChloe feels (or Bloe, as Fat Amy likes to call it).
> 
> Everyone loves a good Bloe, right?
> 
> (This is my first fic in this fandom so let's go easy, yeah?)

_She said love don't come easy, it's a game of give and take...You gotta trust, give it time no matter how long it takes._

*

It’s kind of become their thing after winning, really. They don’t mean to make it a ‘thing’ between them, but it’s happened often enough to constitute as one. Maybe it’s because they’re happy and celebrating and way too in their own worlds to care about anything else, or maybe it’s the fact that they don’t do it until they’re so far gone the consequences don’t matter to either of them. But that’s the thing about this: there’s never been any consequences. Because as soon as it’s over, they continue to party with their friends - sisters at this point - and Beca ends up in Jesse’s arms with yet another drink in her hand, and then the next morning is a mixture of nursing hangovers and admiring their newest trophy just like nothing happened the night before.

Chloe thinks Beca doesn’t remember. Beca thinks Chloe doesn’t have the slightest clue. It’s like a secret they don’t realize they’re sharing.

It’s not like Chloe means to do it. She doesn’t, she swears. Beca has a boyfriend she’s dated since freshman year and Chloe herself has gone through a few boys here and there throughout her years at Barden. It’s just that they’ve won and Beca’s changed the Bellas in more ways than one and wow, the smaller girl just looks so good with her big smile and tight clothing and -- _Shit_ she’s so in love with Beca Mitchell. She’s been in love with her since she heard her lady jam in the showers almost four years ago and boldly joined her to force her into a duet.

And it’s not like Beca minds that Chloe does it either - she returns the favor every time. It’s not even like it even means anything. They’re best friends celebrating their latest success - and plus, Chloe’s, like, super friendly with almost everyone she crosses paths with. A person must have different standards of friendship when it comes to Chloe Beale. It’s just a thing super drunk best friends who win a national title do at the after party, you know?

It all starts Beca’s freshman year after they win their national title. After their performance, Chloe watches as Beca quickly hops off the stage and runs into the audience looking for Jesse. A moment later Chloe’s stomach sinks as she watches the young Bella pulls the Treble in for a kiss that lasts too long. She looks away, pretending she doesn’t notice Aubrey’s eyes on her.

It’s Chloe’s idea to find a club so they can celebrate. Aubrey wants to protest, but she knows that maybe Chloe needs this. She needs it to stop herself from being so sad. It’s Chloe’s big blue eyes and naturally flirtatious attitude that gets them in without a hitch, and suddenly the Bellas are making a beeline for the bar and or the dance floor. Beca’s one of the ones that decides to stay at the bar, holding conversations with friends and finding ways to get alcohol without showing her ID. It’s not until later that night that she’s pretty far gone and has joined the rest of her friends on the dance floor, dancing to a beat she can feel in her body and singing along to the words.

“Beca!” Chloe squeals in delight, seeing her on the dance floor. Her cheeks are way too flushed and Beca already knows she’s had way too much.

Beca lets out a melodic laugh, a rare grin finding her lips. “Hey Chlo!” Maybe she’s a little drunk too from the way she’s smiling too big.

The older Bella’s eyes widen as an idea occurs to her. “Come take a shot with me!” she suggests, and before Beca can argue, she’s being lead by the wrist back to the bar with Chloe effortlessly ordering them two shots of straight vodka.

“Damn,” she laughs, raising her eyebrows at Chloe. “Going all in for tonight I see.”

“We just won a national title! We’re the best!” Chloe exclaims, shoving the shot glass towards her. “Drink up!”

Beca does just as she’s told without another thought. Then again. Somehow they end up giggling furiously, grabbing onto each other for support. As their laughter dies down, Beca notices just how good Chloe looks with her hair away from her face and how carefree she looks and she admires it for a moment until Chloe speaks up.

“I’m so glad you auditioned.”

“You practically forced me!” the brunette teases, her hand falling to Chloe’s knee to steady herself on the stool.

The redhead just grins, offering a small shrug. “We couldn’t have done this without you, Becs. I’m so glad you came back.” Her knee slowly burns at Beca’s touch.

Beca smiles back and Chloe can’t help but notice how beautiful she is when she’s not sulking. “Me too.”

Chloe’s way too drunk for her own good, but she knows Beca is too. She just can’t believe how good Beca looks and how much fun they’ve been having together. Then her smile falters as she remembers Beca and Jesse at the Lincoln Center just hours before. Chloe’s eyes flicker to the younger girl’s lips and before she can talk herself out of it, she leans in and presses her lips into Beca. She doesn’t care who sees or what’s going to happen after this. Any coherent thoughts fly out the window when she feels Beca lips moving against her own, finding a rhythm for a moment before Chloe slowly pulls away, gauging Beca’s reaction.

Beca blinks, looking at the girl in front of her. Chloe Beale just kissed her. _Chloe fucking Beale just kissed her._ She’s not sure what to make of it. She doesn’t know what’s happening, but Jesse’s the last thing in her mind and all she can think of is feeling those soft lips again.

“Chlo-”

There’s a flicker in Chloe’s expression, but her grin is suddenly wide once again as she cuts the brunette off. “Come on!” the redhead interrupts, suddenly hopping out of her seat. “Let’s dance with the girls!”

Beca follows without question because that’s what she always does when it come to Chloe.

And when Chloe wakes up with her lips on fire and her head pounding too much for her liking, she prays Beca’s size correlates with how much alcohol she can take because hopefully it’s enough for her not to remember. But Beca does remember, and her lips are longing for Chloe again. But the redhead’s already made up her mind. She’ll pretend it never happened - it’ll be easier that way, she reasons. Beca has Jesse, and Chloe just feels too much and maybe over the summer being away from her will be enough to make her feel not as much anymore.

 

It doesn’t. And when they win nationals again Beca’s sophomore and junior year, Chloe’s drunk enough to do it again and Beca’s more than drunk enough to let her and not question it. Because she doesn’t question things when it comes to Chloe.

She doesn’t question how Chloe likes to rest her head on Beca’s shoulder when she’s tired or the way Chloe’s touches last a second too long or how they end up falling asleep on the same bed and wake up holding each other. She doesn’t question the fact Chloe failed Russian Lit three times for the Bellas or how Chloe always wants to run partner choreography through with Beca a few times before showing it to the rest of the girls. Nor does she question how Chloe likes to rest her head in Beca’s lap and how she falls asleep as Beca plays with her hair or when Chloe likes to be overly affectionate. All of that is just Chloe, right? It’s who she is and Beca believes it. She believes it because everything is _so easy_ with the older girl so there’s no need to question it when it all just feels so normal.

It’s not until they’re all walking around the streets of Copenhagen, Beca holding on to Chloe tightly to stay under the umbrella, that Chloe realizes this is it. After this competition, after they all move their belongings out of the Bella house, there won’t be moments like these ever again. She won’t wake up to Beca’s mixes blaring through the house. She won’t get to snuggle up next to Beca during movie night or find comfort in her when she can’t sleep. There won’t be any of that anymore, and that’s why more than anything she needs to win.

She needs to win to save the Bellas, yes, but she needs to win because she wants to feel Beca’s lips against hers one more time. One more drunken mistake to hold on to as they part ways.

“Dude, are you okay?” Beca’s voice breaks through Chloe’s thoughts and she hates how her insides twist when she notices the girl’s concerning gaze and the way her lips slightly frown.

“Yeah,” Chloe nods, moving her arm around Beca’s shoulder to keep her dry. “Just trying to take in all in.”

Beca slowly smirks. “Chloe Beale outside of Barden University. Who would’ve thought?”

“Shut up,” the redhead rolls her eyes, hip-checking her. “This is for us.” She can’t help but grin back when Beca gives her that gentle smile.

What Beca doesn’t notice is the way half their friends are looking at them. Chloe tries to ignore them. In the end, all the other Bellas know; everyone knows except for Beca Mitchell.

It’s not like Chloe hasn’t tried to tell her. It’s just that every time she does, the words get caught in her throat, or Beca looks at her for a moment too long that Chloe changes her mind. She’s dropped hints too, but the young DJ just doesn’t seem to get it. So yeah, this isn’t just Chloe Beale’s swan song.

“You’re pretty quiet,” Beca notices the night before the competition.

They’re sitting in their hotel room after dinner getting ready for bed. Usually Chloe’s talking Beca’s ear off with excitement and nerves because all she wants is everything to go without a hitch tomorrow, and she can’t distract herself without opening her mouth and rambling. Sometimes, it gets to the point where Beca falls asleep to the bubbly sound of Chloe’s voice and she wakes up with the older girl cuddled up in her sheets.

“Just nervous,” Chloe tries to shrug it off, averting Beca’s curious gaze.

The brunette frowns, putting her phone to the side and putting her full attention on her best friend. “Chlo, you’re _never_ quiet before a big performance, and this is the biggest performance of our lives or whatever. Something’s wrong.”

Chloe bites her lip, cursing Beca for knowing her too well. She’s still reluctant to open her mouth, but before she can come up with another excuse Beca pats the spot next to her in bed and the older girl joins her without a second thought.

“So, is everything all good?” Beca’s never really been the best at comforting people, but she does always try her best for the people she cares about so she can only hope Chloe sees she’s trying.

Chloe plays with the hem of her pajama shorts, but manages to meet Beca’s gaze. There were words caught in her throat. Words like “I’m going to miss the way my head rests on your shoulder, and how we wake up cuddling most mornings and how you always try to fight me when I want to watch a sappy movie but you watch it anyway and sulk the whole way through and try not to smile; and just everything about you” weren’t going to be acceptable for this situation. Not when she’s spent four years trying to admire from afar (which failed terribly) and needs everything to be perfect for tomorrow.

So instead, she goes the expected route. “If we don’t win this, the Bellas are-”

“Don’t.” The brunette immediately sits up straighter, cutting her friend off. “We’re going to win this whole thing.”

“But how do you know for sure?”

Her bright eyes are wide with worry and she’s looking at Beca like she knows all the answers because that’s what Beca is. She’s there when Chloe needs her the most and she knows just what to do to calm her down. Beca doesn’t do that for just anyone, but Chloe’s her best friend. She’s not good at feelings and emotions and talking it all out, but you always make exceptions for your best friend, right? Hesitantly, she places her hand on top of Chloe’s. Yeah, Chloe’s lucky she’s Beca best friend because this is totally out of her comfort zone.

“Because we have you, duh.” She shrugs like it’s the most obvious answer in the world. When Chloe’s brows furrow together in a confused expression - which Beca totally doesn’t find endearing in any way - she lets out a long sigh, trying to find the right words.

“You’ve, like, spent years pouring yourself into the Bellas. How can we lose when, you know, we have this awesome person like you, or whatever.” She hates her inability to say something better than that. Chloe deserves a lot better than that. Dammit why can’t Aubrey be here?

Apparently it’s enough for the redhead when her gaze softens and she squeezes Beca’s hand gently. “We can do this,” she says more for herself than for Beca.

“We can do this,” Beca echoes, ignoring how her heart beats too fast as Chloe squeezes her hand again. “Totally gonna kick ass.”

Without warning, Chloe leans over and pulls Beca into a tight embrace. Chloe smells like strawberries and vanilla and it’s a natural scent Beca’s grown accustomed to and fond of over the past few years. Her arms wrap around Chloe middle and she feels the girl bury her face into Beca’s neck, and Beca closes her eyes because there’s something sacred about this moment.

Chloe tries very hard not to cry. She’s successful, but her heart still feels heavy. Her moments left with Beca are now limited, with Beca moving to LA soon after they move everything out of the Bella house. She wants to make every single one count.

So it’s a surprise that in the midst of this moment Beca blurts out, “Jesse and I broke up.”

“What?” Chloe immediately pulls away and suddenly they’re both missing the warmth they just felt. “Bec, what are you talking about? When did this happen? How did this happen? Are you okay? Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Beca’s ready for the onslaught of questions and waits patiently for her to finish letting it all out. “It was after graduation,” she explains, offering a small shrug. “It wasn’t anything big-”

“Beca, you’ve been with him since your first year at Barden!”

“I know. It’s just, you know, he’s going to New York and I’m going to LA. We hardly even saw each other at school. We’d go days without even talking to each other. How were we supposed to make it work or whatever?”

Chloe nods slowly, knowing it makes sense. “But how did it even happen? Was it mutual?”

“Oh yeah,” Beca nods. “He brought it up, but I didn’t argue because he was completely right. I understood.” _For the most part,_ she doesn’t add as she recalls the end of her and Jesse’s conversation.

_“You know, it’s almost like you’ve been dating Chloe for four years. She sees you more than I do.”_

_Beca gawks at him. “What? Chloe’s my best friend and we’re both Bellas. Of course I’d-”_

_Jesse dismissively shakes his head, a resigned smile on his face. “Okay Becs. If you say so. Take care, okay? I’m always a phone call away. We’re still friends.”_

 

“But are you sure you’re okay?” Chloe asks, eyes filled with concerned and her eyebrows are furrowed together.

Beca tries not to let her heart melt because ew, feelings. “Dude yes,” she laughs, rolling her eyes. “I’m totally fine. He’s still here in Copenhagen with Benji, but we’re friends. It’s all good.”

Before Chloe can get another question in, Beca gives her a light shove. “Now let’s go to sleep nerd. Big day tomorrow.”

Chloe doesn’t hesitate to slide under the covers with Beca because this is how they spend every night before Nationals and now Worlds, apparently. Yet as Beca finds sleep, Chloe’s eyes are open and her mind is going in a million different directions.

The final conclusion is comes up with is timing is a bitch.

**  
**  


Chloe keeps fidgeting. Her foot bounces up and down and her fingers keep skimming the hem of her top. She just can’t sit still. Not only is this her last performance ever, but the idea of Beca being single has started letting flickers of hope into her mind. Just as quickly as the come, Chloe immediately shuts them out. Beca’s moving to LA and starting a new life. A new life that didn’t include Chloe secretly (or not so secretly according to Aubrey, Stacie and even the little Legacy) pining over her.

Beca strides in with Emily in tow, the younger girl’s face a deep shade of red. The older Bella has a smug look on her face that makes Chloe raise her eyebrow.

“Are you okay Legacy?” Amy asks, looking up from her conversation with Cynthia Rose and Stacie.

“Fine,” she answers all too quickly, but Chloe doesn’t miss the way Beca quietly snickers.

The redhead waits until Beca’s beside her to ask, “What happened?”

“She totally just kissed Benji,” Beca smirks, quirking an eyebrow up at Emily a few feet away and the younger girl only turns even redder than she already is. “Twice.”

Chloe’s eyes grow wide and her mouth drops in delight as she shares a knowing glance with her best friend. They’d made a bet on this months ago with the other Bellas, and Beca and Chloe were totally about to be twenty dollars richer after tonight.

The way Chloe looks at her with her bright blue eyes and big, all-too-friendly smile makes it all hit quickly for Beca. This constant ray of sunshine, rainbows and puppies (as Aubrey once described) wouldn’t be with her in Los Angeles. There won’t be Netflix marathons involving popcorn and Chloe’s stupid healthy smoothies downstairs when most of the girls are gone, or upstairs in Chloe’s room with a blanket pulled above their bodies to keep warm. She won’t have someone constantly pushing her to do something she didn’t want to, but Beca always does it anyway because it’s Chloe and she can’t say no to that dumb pout. She won’t have someone to give her back rubs or someone who sings to her when she’s crying and in the end it all comes down to the fact she won’t have Chloe by her side after this. And yeah, she’s known this all along, but Beca didn’t understand until now.

Maybe Jesse has a point about all her time spent with Chloe. With Chloe, there aren’t any plans or intentions of just hanging out, they just do. When all Beca wants to do is stay in her room and work on a new mix or - God forbid - actually try to get her assignments done for class, all it takes is Chloe’s big pout, a knowing smile and a wink to have Beca following her out the door. She hasn’t let anyone in to her life as much as she let Chloe. Even with Jesse there were walls up that Beca didn’t want to take down, and honestly her and Chloe just make sense in a weird way. Perhaps that’s what happens when someone bursts into your shower stall and forces you into a duet while you’re both butt naked.

It hits like a ton of bricks. She’s going to miss Chloe.

“Bring it in girls!” the redhead claps her hands together, bringing Beca back into the moment.

“Yeah nerds, bring it in,” the brunette adds, an amused smile on her face as Chloe gives her a look. She’s definitely going to miss that too.

Before Chloe can even get an encouraging word in, tall figures approach them and the redhead’s jaw sets. She and the other Bellas stare at the Germans, Komissar and Pieter heading the group as usual. Chloe tries not to grind her teeth when Komissar’s hand caresses Beca’s face, and then tries not to squirm at the way Beca’s visibly flustered by the blonde’s actions.

No one really understands how or why Beca, the badass DJ and leader of the group, manages to get so twisted by the presence of the Germans. All Chloe can ever really do is scoff and gape at Beca’s actions any encounter they have. Every single time she doesn’t fail to wonder how Beca is never like that with her.

Beca doesn’t understand much of it either. It’s just that this blonde is so damn attractive and well shit, she’s never really had a really hot person’s attention on her for more than a few seconds. Chloe doesn’t count. She never does - she’s Chloe, her best friend.

“All things must come to an end, even the Barden Bellas,” Komissar says, eyes burning into Beca. She knows damn well what she’s doing and Chloe’s whole body tenses at the statement. After exchanging a glance at her right hand man, they flash a sneer at the Bellas before going to prepare for their performance.

“Yeah?” Beca calls out after them. “Well your sweat smells like cinnamon!” She shouts, then turns with a stomp of her foot. “Dammit!”

“Good one Beca,” Stacie deadpans with a shake of her head as the rest of her teammates give the DJ a strange look.

Beca’s mind is in a frazzled state, unable to focus on anything. She’s about to mutter something about Komissar being in her head when she feels a hand on her wrist. The brunette looks up to find those big blue eyes focused on her navy ones with the slightest ghost of a smile on her lips. They don’t need words to communicate, but with one look at Chloe Beale she’s calming down. She needs to focus if they want to win this.

“Thanks,” she mutters, eyes flickering down to the ground. It’s an intimate moment that’s way too much for her to handle right now so she tries her best to avoid it.

In response, Chloe gives off a hum and lightly runs her fingers down Beca’s wrist before pulling away. Beca tries to ignore the shivers running down her spine, instead fixing her gaze on the stage as Das Sound Machine takes the stage.

**  
**  


Chloe’s holding on to Beca’s hand so tightly she’s positive her circulation is being cutting off, but she doesn’t mind one bit. She feels the exact same way on the inside and if this announcer doesn’t hurry up and open his stupid envelope she just might lose it in front of all these people. The rest of the Bellas are around her, waiting in the tense silence that’s come across the crowd. As the announcer breaks the seal of the envelope, Chloe grasps Beca’s hand even tighter (if that was possible) and presses her shoulder into the younger girl’s.

It’s in the agonizingly slow moments leading up to the winner being crowned that Beca’s thoughts drift again to Jesse’s words. If it was anyone else leaning on her the way Chloe was, she would’ve immediately pushed them away and made a comment about personal space. But that’s just the way she is when it comes to the smiley redhead. Chloe Beale has broken down so many walls in the past four years, often barreling through them with a smile and an innocent wink. Maybe it’s not a bad thing at all.

She thinks of Chloe’s drunken lips on hers.

“IT’S THE BARDEN BELLAS FROM AMERICA!”

Beca’s eyes go wide and before she can even open her mouth to scream, Chloe’s arms are wrapping her up in a tight in a Chloe Beale-esque hug. The smaller girl’s arms immediately wrap around her best friend’s neck, squealing and jumping and maybe crying a little (not that she’d admit it to anyone).

“WE WON ACA-BITCHES!” Fat Amy screams behind her.

Beca lets out a laugh mixed with a sigh of relief because they did it. They had saved the Barden Bellas. Chloe's still jumping up and down with her, and when Beca looks up she swears she's never seen Chloe happier. Her eyes are brighter than the sky and the permanent grin on her face is more blinding than the sun. The image is going to stay imprinted on her memory forever.

"We did it!" Chloe exclaims, arms still at Beca's sides.

"Yeah, we did." Beca confirms, a grin plastered on her face.

She realizes the compromising position they've found themselves in and somehow navy eyes are darting down to plump pink lips. Beca wonders what it'd be like to--

"What are you waiting for?!" Emily yells, popping up beside them. It causes both captains to jump and drop their hands by their sides, cheeks burning. "Go get our trophy!"

It's Beca that grabs Chloe's hand, practically skipping over to the announcer with the grin still stuck on her face. She's blaming the adrenaline of winning on the way her body buzzes as Chloe intertwines their fingers.

"Congratulations ladies," he says, handing the trophy over to them.

The two girls each get a hand on it as they let go of each other, staring at the massive piece of metal in their possession. Chloe's staring in awe, the past seven years as a Bella flashing through her mind. It's still so unreal. There won't be another moment like this, ever.

As the rest of the girls crowd around them, she turns to see Beca already looking at her. Those navy blue eyes are twinkling with a joy Chloe’s never seen before, but it brings in a feeling of warmth. She looks at the rest of the Bellas around her, all laughing and screaming in excitement, joy and relief. They’re all shaking Chloe and Beca by the shoulders, but all the Barden Bella captains can do is laugh.

They look at each other before lifting the trophy together.

**  
**  


The club ten minutes away from the Bellas’ hotel is closed down solely for Worlds’ competitors and fans. It’s packed and almost vibrating with music, bodies either on the dancefloor or occupying the open spaces at the bar. After one - or a few - toasts to each other, to winning, and to the future Bellas, the girls are scattered around, trying to live for the night before they fly back out to America the following afternoon.

An hour into the party, Beca’s easily sipping on her drink and chatting with Emily as they watches Stacie, Jessica and Chloe on the dance floor. She’s trying not to make it obvious she’s watching, but it’s really hard to tear her eyes away when Chloe keeps moving her hips in ways that make Beca want to take deep, slow breaths. Or go splash herself with cold water - lots of it.

“It’s going to be so weird without you guys.”

Beca blinks, returning her attention to the young Bella in front of her. “Dude, I’m sure you’re going to be great. Make sure you keep the new nerds in line.”

Emily nods with a laugh. “But you’ll still come in and visit right?”

“Of course,” she nods. “You and I have a lot of work to do,” she reminds the younger girl with a smirk. “You’re about to have a single released.”

It causes the taller girl to squeal in delight and they both share a laugh, unable to believe their luck. Benji approaches rather shyly, avoiding Beca’s gaze because he knows she saw the events from earlier that day.

“Hi Benji,” she greets with a smug look.

“Hey Beca,” he mumbles in reply, daring a gaze up.

Beca offers a knowing smile before lightly slapping Emily’s knee. “Get out of here kid. Go have fun.”

She watches as Emily with an excited grin gives her shoulder a squeeze before she follows Benji to the other side of the club. Beca sighs, content with where she is at this moment, then turns again to watch her friends (mainly Chloe) dance. Honestly she’s glad the tempo of the music has changed because now Chloe’s just singing and dancing like a teenage girl with her friends. Beca laughs at just how dorky Chloe Beale can get, and she strangely enough adores that about her.

Chloe’s in the middle of laughing as Stacie tries to pull some typical overly-sexual move when the beat changes to some remix she doesn’t know, but then the beat settles and her eyes go wide.

 

_You shout it out, but I can't hear a word you say_

 

“Oh my god!” she gasps, eyes searching the bar until she finds Beca holding the same expression. Immediately, she’s sprinting over expertly in her heels and within seconds she’s dragging Beca out of her chair.

“Chloe!”

“Don’t fight it Becs!” she yells over the music. “You’re dancing to this with me whether you like it or not!”

And it’s that damn wink that has Beca following without hesitation.

It starts out innocent enough. They’re best friends, laughing and dancing without a care because they just fucking won the World Championships for acapella. This is the way it always starts and they both know it, but neither of them seem to be pulling out of this moment any time soon. So they keep dancing; Beca’s still clumsy and awkward despite four years of choreography as Chloe moves so smoothly with the beat. The tempo slowly slows with a heavy bass in the middle of the song and suddenly Beca doesn’t know what to do with herself. That is until Chloe hooks her fingers through the belt loops of Beca’s pants, tugging her closer.

“Did you have your jiggle juice, or whatever?” Becca stammers out, trying to distract herself from how close Chloe was and how her hands were still firmly on her hips as they moved to the music.

Chloe lets out the most melodious, carefree laugh Beca’s ever heard and she wants to hear it again and again. “Don’t be silly. I can’t get that stuff here.”

Beca lets out a laugh that sounds more like a cough, trying to keep her thoughts in order. It’s just her best friend. It’s just Chloe. That’s the problem, though. _It’s Chloe._

“Relax Becs,” Chloe almost purs.

At first, the brunette’s jaw sets as she tries to ignore the way Chloe’s breath is on her skin. Yet as Chloe keeps dancing, she gives up trying to resist and gives in to it all. She gives into the way the music tells her to move, to the way Chloe’s moving and to the way Chloe keeps giving her that _look_. She isn’t sure what it all means but she’ll go with it because maybe Jesse was right.

 

_You shoot me down, but I don’t fall I am titanium._

 

The tempo picks up again, and instead of dancing to the beat they both stop. They’re so close that they can feel each other’s chests rising and falling. Beca’s brain is scattered all over everything that is Chloe Beale and she doesn’t know what to do with that information. Chloe, on the other hand, is so focused on Beca that nothing else matters. Her eyes flickers to Beca’s lips, and she knows they’re nowhere near drunk enough for this. She knows this time there probably will be consequences for her actions, but right now she doesn’t care because her time with Beca Mitchell is limited and she doesn’t want to waste a minute of it.

So she leans in and kisses Beca before another second is wasted.

Beca isn’t surprised when Chloe kisses her. In fact, she all but melts into her, one hand holding on to her face and the other arm wrapping around her neck to bring her closer. The kiss has a need that hasn’t been there before for either of them. It’s almost desperate the way they pull each other closer as their kisses become heavier.

It’s taken forever, but it all finally clicks. It’s never been Jesse at all. It’s been Chloe all along and she was afraid to admit it. Beca never wants the moment to end. She knows the routine they go through, and she’s sure in the morning she’ll pretend that she doesn’t remember.

Still, Chloe’s the first to pull away. Her blue eyes are looking at Beca with pain and vulnerability. She’s shaking and maybe trying not to cry, but in an instant she’s grinning like nothing ever happened. That’s Chloe Beale for you: dancer, singer and actress extraordinaire, sometimes.

“Let’s find the girls!” She begins to turn away from Beca, but the smaller girl grabs both her wrists, tugging her back.

“Chloe. I know.”

The redhead stops, trying to hide the mortified expression on her face. “What are you talking about?”

Beca shakes her head, an apologetic smile on her lips. “I wasn’t drunk enough to forget. Neither were you.”

Chloe gulps, unsure what to do. Beca Mitchell is possibly one of the most oblivious people in the world, but somehow she was figuring it all out right here right now. She’s not even sure how to respond because having Beca figure Chloe out like this isn’t part of the plan at all.

“Beca, I-”

“Look,” Beca says, still holding Chloe’s wrists. She loosens her grip, trying to be more comforting. “I was never in love with Jesse.”

“What?” Chloe almost stutters, looking at her like she’s insane. “What are you talking about?”

She isn’t good with words, but she’ll try. She always does for Chloe. “I spent four years dating Jesse. He couldn’t get me to dance when we went out. We didn’t have movie marathons where we fell asleep cuddling each other. He couldn’t get me to watch those sappy movies all the way through. He didn’t make me feel all weird inside with a stupid smile and wink.” The more she talked, the more she rambled so Beca took a deep breath and tried to reorganize her thoughts.

“And I didn’t do a lot of things with him. I did them with you,” she explains, giving Chloe’s wrists a gentle squeeze. Big blue eyes were looking at her, trying to put it all together so she knew she had to keep going. “And I know I’m not good with words, and I suck at that, or whatever, but I’m just trying to say it’s you, Chlo. I’m in love with you.”

Chloe stares at her, left speechless. It’s a weird switch: Beca with all the words in the world and Chloe with nothing but an empty mouth. The longer she stays silent, the longer Beca begins to rethink everything she just said. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe Jesse was wrong.

“Or, you know, if you’re not cool with that then we totally can pretend this never happened and-”

She’s shut up by Chloe’s lips on hers and it’s the sweetest kiss she’s ever received and she doesn’t mind getting more of those. She lets it linger for a moment before pulling away, trying to read Chloe’s expression.

The older girl rests her forehead against Beca’s, whispering over the music “I promise I won’t pretend to forget when we wake up.”

It makes Beca smile in a way only Chloe can get her to, and God that smile’s a killer.

“I aca-love you,” Chloe mumbles, pressing her lips against her again.

Beca giggles into the kiss. “Nerd.”

“You love it.” Chloe insists with a content smile.

“Yeah, I really love you nerd.”

 


End file.
